Platinum Match
by Pookie2
Summary: Leon faces the ultimate opponent in the Coliseum


Hey, I've been writing for a long time, this is just the first time I've ever posted. Anyway, this is my take on what should have happened in the game. You have to ignore the fact that the final fantasy characters are all actually cameos whos' stories don't matter (in other worlds, don't pay attention to what the game said).  
  
This is dedicated to my personal Squall, who helped me write this.  
  
Platinum Match ********************************************************************  
  
Leon walked past the Coliseum gates, heading for the building. He had trained and fought the heartless for months. It was time he faced a real test.  
  
The SeeD was at the top of the rankings in the tournaments. Only a few had bested him, and he'd never admit it, especially to the keybearer, but he had let some of them win. He had spoken with Phil, and the little satyr had reluctantly allowed him this next fight. Few had tried, and most of them were still recovering, if they were lucky. Cloud had warned him about this, telling him it was a fool's errand.  
  
I've been a fool for lesser things...  
  
He didn't allow himself to think about past mistakes. Instead he walked to Phil, who was fixing a sign about the rules of the tournament. Hercules stood in the corner of the room, cheery-faced as always.  
  
"Hey Leon, heard you beat Cloud yesterday. How many does that make between you two?" he said, reffering to the constant duels between the two.  
  
Leon could never scowl at Hercules, no matter how hard he tried, he was far too friendly with a definite lack of annoyance. He instead plastered on his normal face of indifference when he looked at him and shrugged. "...It doesn't matter." By now, Phil had looked up, noticing that Hercules had been talking to someone.  
  
"Leon! ....you're not here to..."  
  
"Yeah, I'm ready."  
  
Hercules' eyebrow's raised at the exchange. But before he could question what was going on, Leon was already heading for the opening.  
  
"I got five words of advice for you!" Phil yelled after him, "Don't get killed!"  
  
* * *  
  
Leon had never seen the sky above the Coliseum anything but a shade of blue, bright in the day, and almost black at night. When he walked into the arena this time, unnatural purple met his eyes. The sky, stands and ground were varying shades of red and purple. As he looked up at the sky, the stars swirled into a circle, then began to form a symbol that reminded him of Ultimecia's 'Hell's Judgement.' Not good. It flashed and a pillar of light crashed into the ground.  
  
The light faded to reveal a crouching, black-clad man. He slowly stood and cast his hand out, flaring his single black wing as he did. He turned to Squall, hand going to the startlingly long blade at his side. Sephiroth... Leon drew Lionheart as the barriers surrounded the arena.  
  
Sephiroth took two steps, then leapt with enough force to make him grunt, slashing with his sword. Leon jumped away, swinging his gunblade as he did. The blow caught air, but the momentum of the swing landed Leon so he was facing Sephiroth's back, he thrust hard, but the grey-haired man jumped forward, allowing Leon to score the slightest nick on his back.  
  
Spinning around and jumping forward, Sephiroth swung. Leon managed to duck, but recieved a cut on the shoulder. Having already retreated, the son of Jenova spoke a word Leon didn't understand, and three pillars of flames leapt from the ground. The SeeD wasn't close enough to get hit directly by the flame, but he was thrown back by the force. He cast Cura on himself and got up.  
  
Sephiroth jumped back again and turned white. Huge Meteors starts flying at Leon, who dodged them. The remaining swirled into a black whole above the spell's caster. Nothing happened for a second, then a huge meteor flew directly at Leon. He had no way of dodging the massive rock. It collided with him, and he fell back with a grunt.  
  
"You're easier to beat than Cloud, and he was just a mindless puppet," said Sephiroth. At that, Leon let out a small growl and jumped to his feet, holding up his gunblade. Light swirled around it and flashed, and the blade doubled in length. Still glaring at the comment, he quickly swung, hitting Sephiroth and sending him backward. While he recovered, Leon popped open an elixir and drank it down quickly.  
  
Sephiroth slowly walked closer. They circled, both wearing grim faces. Sephiroth jumped forward and cut a gash into his opponent's shoulder, then quickly jumped back. Leon grimaced, but still held his gunblade firmly. He lept at the other man and cut a line down his chest.  
  
Then Sephiroth stopped moving. Leon's arms twitched, something bad was going to happen. Sephiroth then Omnislashed. The first few strikes Leon managed to block, but the thin blade was moving too fast and he couldn't keep up. He recieved a coating of wounds which immediately began to bleed.  
  
Eyes flashing, he glared and jumped, preforming Lionheart. This time it was Sephiroth who couldn't keep up with the other's speed. Squall managed to fire a bullet with each slice of the gunblade, opening wounds all over his opponent's body. Sephiroth now matched the other's bloody image as Leon landed, amazed. He hadn't done his limit break since...  
  
By that time, Sephiroth had gone to the corner of arena. Leon heard "Sin Harvest," and had barely registered the words before lights flashed around him and pain errupted in his body. He felt his strength and magic drain, making him drop. Sephiroth chuckled humorlessly, walking closer.  
  
Leon was on his back again, blood trickling from his mouth and unable to concentrate. It felt like his body had shattered. His eyes focused as Sephiroth stepped into his view. Mako-bright eyes flashed as his mouth slightly curved to a smile. He raised his blade. Leon tried to get to his feet, but couldn't. It was over, he'd failed again. Perhaps this time Hyne would be good enough to let him die.  
  
Before the thin blade fell, Leon noticed the stars were swirling again, probably due to his dizziness. Another pillar of light formed behind Sephiroth, and Leon could see a pair of snow-white wings. Sephiroth turned to look, and was blasted away from Leon and slammed into the barrier. He fell to the ground and didn't get up. Leon looked up...  
  
...and saw the effects of Angel Wing fade on Rinoa Heartilly.  
  
She ran to him, casting Recover as she did. He got to his feet as she reached him, wounds gone and mind clear. Without a word, they were in each other's arms. Oddly, it was Leon...no...Squall who broke the silence.  
  
"..How?"  
  
She smiled at him. "Does it matter?"  
  
"....No." He kissed her.  
  
The end....?  
  
**************************************************************************** *  
  
I'd like to thank The Temple of Sephiroth, maintained by Rei ( ), the site helped me iron out forgotten details of ff7.  
  
P.S. this is also dedicated to everyone else who's petrified of Sephiroth (the guy always gave me the jibblies), I hope you all have a Squall to save you from him (or save him from Sephiroth ; ) ) 


End file.
